Rotary engine.



PATENTED AUG. 14, 1906.

R. M. BLAGKMER. ROTARY ENGINE.

APPLICATION rum) MAY 1, 1905.

1 7V VE/VTOR wym M fliiameys.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ROTARY ENGINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 14, 1906.

Application filed ay 1,1905. Serial 1T0. 258,258.

To a whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, ROBERT M. BLAOKMER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Conway, county of Emmet, State of Michigan, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Rotary Engines; and I declare the following to be a full, clear, andexact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to rotary engines.

It has for its object an improved engine adapted to rotate in either direction.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a sectional view across the shaft. Fig. 2 is an elevation.

The cylinder 1 is circular. The piston 2 is cylindrical, is mounted on an axis 3, that is concentric with the cylinder 1, and is provided with several wings or buckets 4, that project from the main face of the piston 2 across a steam-chamber and engage against the inner surface of the cylinder 1. The wings or buckets 4 may be provided with a broad bearing-surface against the surface of the cylinder and may be provided with any suitable packing. The two faces of each abutment are curved'so as to diverge more and more from a perpendicular from its outer end inward and so as to approach a tangent to the circular periphery of the cylinder where they meet such surface. The abutment swings in an abutment-chamber that opens out from the bucket-chamber of the piston. It is provided with wings that extend from the center bearing to the casing and form substantially tight joints therewith. The casing of the abutment-chamber is a portion of a cylinder which is preferably of smaller diameter than the main cylinder and forms a retreat into which the abutment swings in front of the oncoming bucket 4 and out from which it swings behind the bucket 4 after the bucket 4 has passed. The abutment 5 is symmetrical at each side of the shaft and is arranged to swing in either di rection and may be compelled, by means hereinafter described, to swing in either direction, thus making the engine entirely reversible.

Through each wing of the abutment a steam-passage 6 and 61 leads from points below the center of oscillation to the faces at the ends of the abutment near the inner portion of said faces. The mouths to these passages open through a cylindrical surface 7 of much smaller diameter than the casing-walls 8, and this surface rests in a bearing 9, so that there is. little motion and friction of such surface on its bearing. The circular bearing 9 is at the middle of a plate that forms the cross-wall of the abutmentchamber and which is utilized as the base of the entire engine. An inletport 10 leads into the cross-wall and dividing is continued in two branches 11 and 12, that are spread somewhat more widely apart than the mouths 6 and 61 of the steam-passage in the abutment and so located with reference thereto that when the abutment is oscillated to its extreme in one direction the passage 6 will register with the branch 1 1 and when oscillated to its extreme position in the other direction the passage 61 will register with the branch 12. At all times when the abutment is not oscillated to either extreme the passages 6 and 61 are out of complete register with both the branches 11 and 12, and when the abutment is in the balanced position shown in full lines in Fig. 1 the passages 6 and 61 are entirely discontinuous with the branches 11 and 12. Thus steam is not admitted until the parts are about in operative position.

Under each wing of the abutment between it and the plate 13 is a chamber which affords freedom of movement to the oscillating abutment. The two chambers 14 and 15 are independent, and each is provided with a valve-closed port, into which steam may be admitted and utilized to swing the abutment. The inner face 51 of the abutment forms when the abutment is in the balanced position shown in Fig. 1 a continuation or portion of the inner surface of the main cylinder.

The casing 8 is provided with exhaust-passages 81 and 82, through which steam may escape from the main cylinder when the end of the abutment opposite to the one through which the steam is to escape swings inward against the face 2 of the piston.

In the form shown in Fig. 2 the chambers 14 and 15 are not used for the introduction of steam to swing the abutment, and a metallic spring is substituted to produce the oscillating action of the abutment. In this form the abutment has external arms 51 and 52, and a swing-lever 53 is journaled on the external hub of the abutment. Springs 55 and 56 are interposed between the arms 51 and 52 and the arm 53, and a pressure or a tendency to oscillate the abutment is produced by steam-passage from 10 to-the bucket-cham-' ber is open, and steam enters the bucketchamber behind the bucket, pushing the bucket away from the abutment. At the same time an exhaust-port opens in front of the next coming bucket, so that its freedom of movement is not impeded by previouslyadmitted steam. The rotary movement continues, the coming bucket pushing the abutments out of its way, temporarily cutting off the steam during the interval the bucket is passing about one-half the length of the abutment. The steam that has been admitted under the abutment continues to exert pressure at all times, or the spring in the form shown in Fig. 2 continues to exert a pressure at all times, which tends to throw the bucket back against the face of the revolving piston. The jet of steam entering the steam-space acts by its inertia upon the bucket like water upon a reaction turbinewheel, and when it has entered said space it acts by means of its expansive force.

What I claim is In a rotary engine, in combination with a cylinder-casing, a piston therein, a steamchamber, a bucket extending across the steam-chamber, an abutment-chamber, an oscillating abutment pivoted midway said chamber and moving with a substantially tight joint against the ends of said chamber, said abutment being provided with a cylindrical portion concentric with the pivot and working against a corresponding surface in the Wall of the abutment-chamber, passages in said abutment terminating at said cylindrical surface and at the ends of said abutment, and passages in the wall of the abutmentchamber adapted to be uncovered by said abutment to exhaust the steam, and other passages in said wall adapted to register with the central terminals of the abutment-passages to admit steam thereto.

In testimony whereof I sign this specification in the presence of two Witnesses.

ROBERT M. BLAOKMER.

Witnesses:

MAY E. Ko'r'r, LOTTA LEE HAYToN. 

